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Saltwater Pool Maintenance and Care Tips

Marc McCollough

By Marc McCollough
Published October 9, 2024

Saltwater swimming pool maintenance is easier than caring for a traditional pool, but regular saltwater pool upkeep is still necessary and you need to know how to maintain a saltwater pool properly. Learn about salt pool maintenance, including daily, weekly and monthly care tips.

Caring for a Saltwater Pool

While saltwater pool systems typically require a bit less maintenance than standard chlorine pools, there are still salt pool care tasks you need to handle regularly to keep your pool clean and clear. The biggest difference in maintenance tasks between saltwater and traditional pools is that you don’t need to constantly add chlorine to a saltwater pool to sanitize the water. The pool’s chlorine generator or salt cell uses pool salt to chlorinate the water.

However, you still need to monitor free chlorine levels to ensure the system is sanitizing the water properly. And, in addition to keeping the filters clear and the water free of debris, you need to monitor other chemical levels and keep the pool water balanced. As with a traditional pool, pool test strips and kits help you keep your saltwater pool chemistry correct. Here are quick tips on how to maintain saltwater pools. Check your pool equipment manuals and the instructions for the chemicals you’re using for specifics on how to maintain a saltwater pool.

Caution

Follow all pool chemical manufacturer instructions for safety, safety equipment, use, storage and disposal.

1. Skim the Saltwater Pool and Empty the Skimmer Baskets

Keep your saltwater pool clear of visible debris. Skim large debris from the water whenever you notice them and empty the skimmer baskets regularly. It’s a good idea to check the skimmer baskets weekly or daily, depending on how often you’re using the pool and how often leaves and other debris land in the pool.

2. Clean Your Saltwater Pool Filters Regularly

Timing for cleaning and replacing your filters varies by several factors, including the type of filtration system, the size of the pool, how often it’s used and how many plants are near the pool. Your filter manual should provide specifics on backwashing, cleaning and, when necessary, replacement, but here are some general tips:

  • Cartridge filters may need cleaning from twice a week to every three or four months, depending on the size.
  • Diatomaceous earth or DE filter grids usually need cleaning every three to four months. You’ll typically need to replenish the DE powder after cleaning. Follow product instructions for safety gear and disposal.
  • Sand filtration systems usually require backwashing each week to clear debris from the sand.

Get details on different types of filters with our guide, How to Install a Pool Filter.

3. Handle Weekly Maintenance for Your Saltwater Pool

Check water salinity each week. Since your chlorine generator needs salt to produce chlorine, making sure your pool water has the right salinity or level of salt helps keep it sanitized. It also helps keep the water comfortable and helps protect your pool equipment from corrosion. Check salinity monthly in several parts of the pool. If there has been heavy rain recently or if you’ve added water to the pool, the salinity will be lower. If the pump return nozzles aren’t adjusted correctly, the salinity may be higher in some areas than others. In general, salinity should be between 2700 and 3400 parts per million (ppm) but check the documentation for your chlorine generator for specifics:

  • If levels are high in some areas and low in others, try adjusting the return nozzles to even out the salinity.
  • If the salinity is too low, add pool salt. Add just a bit at a time and retest until you get the water in the proper range.
  • If you’ve added too much pool salt and the salinity is high, you’ll need to drain some of the water and add fresh water.
  • Run your pump six to eight hours a day to help keep salinity levels consistent throughout the pool.
  • Hose down areas that might corrode due to splash-out of the salt water.

Aside from salinity, the other weekly tests that are part of caring for saltwater pools are similar to those for traditional pools and often require the same pool chemicals:

  • The free chlorine level should be from 1 to 3 ppm to bind with contaminants and sanitize the water correctly. Adjust the settings on your chlorine generator to correct the levels, if necessary.
  • Your saltwater pool water should have a pH from 7.2 to 7.6. Use a pH increaser or pH decreaser to adjust the salt water pH.
  • Use a shock formulated for saltwater pools each week to maintain a good level of free chlorine and help combat algae growth.

Finally, clean the pool with a pool brush and pool vacuum.

4. Test Your Saltwater Pool Monthly

Some testing and balancing is a monthly process:

  • Cyanuric acid (CYA) helps maintain free chlorine by protecting it from ultraviolet (UV) rays. To properly stabilize the free chlorine in your saltwater pool, you typically should keep the level of CYA in the range of 60 to 80 ppm, which is higher than the range for a traditional pool. Chlorine stabilizer boosts your CYA levels. Lowering CYA levels requires you drain some of the water and refill the pool.
  • In general, the total alkalinity of your salt pool water should be between 100 to 150 ppm to help keep the pH level stable. You can use an alkalinity increaser or a pH decreaser to bring your salt water into the correct range.
  • Typically, you want a calcium hardness level between 200 and 400 ppm. If the hardness is too high, scale develops on your pool, builds up in pipes and can damage your saltwater chlorine generator. Water that’s too soft can cause corrosion. To lower the level, you’ll need to drain water and add more. Check and correct the salinity level when adding fresh water. A calcium hardness increaser raises the hardness level of a saltwater pool over time.

Good to Know

Our Pool Chemical Buying Guide gives you the information you need to understand the different types of pool chemicals for both saltwater and traditional chlorine pools. Take a look at How to Maintain a Pool for detailed pool care steps. Many procedures apply to both saltwater pools and traditional pools.

5. Maintain the Saltwater Pool Chlorine Generator

The chlorine generator or salt cell produces chlorine from the salt water in your pool so it needs to work properly to keep the water sanitized. Inspect the chlorine generator every three months for calcium buildup from hard water that reduces efficiency. Check your manual for instructions on removing the generator and for cleaning. You may be able to remove some deposits with water from a hose.

Winterizing a Saltwater Pool

Winterizing a saltwater pool is similar to winterizing a traditional pool. Check the documentation for your saltwater pool system for specifics, but here are the general steps:

  1. Clean the saltwater pool.
  2. Maintain the correct salinity and balance the water in the saltwater pool.
  3. Apply winterizing chemicals as necessary.
  4. Clean the filter and close the saltwater pool filtration system.
  5. Remove, clean and store the chlorine generator or salt cell and other saltwater pool equipment.
  6. Lower the water level of your saltwater pool.
  7. Clear the salt water from the pool lines.
  8. Cover the saltwater pool.

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